Russell Crowe will not face Azealia Banks assault charges

Russell Crowe will face no charges over claims he assaulted rapper Azealia Banks in a hotel room, prosecutors have said.

Banks reported the Oscar-winning actor to police after she claimed he grabbed her by the neck, used a racial slur and spat on her hand when he threw her out of a party in his room at the Beverly Hills hotel on October 16.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said it would not be seeking to prosecute Crowe as witnesses described "Banks, not Crowe, as the assaultive party".

The Gladiator star prevented "imminent violence" threatened by Banks, 25, after witnesses reported she threatened to cut the throat of Crowe or another female guest, according to a charge evaluation report.

Azealia Banks named the "assaultive party" (Rich Fury/AP/PA)

It said: "Witnesses state that prior to being ejected from the hotel room by Crowe, Banks repeatedly used a racial epithet, was verbally aggressive to party attendees and threatened to break a glass to cut the throat of a female guest and/or Crowe.

"Guests report after this threat was made they saw Crowe struggle with Banks to prevent Banks from using the glass she picked up, seemingly to carry out her threat.

"It was then that Crowe escorted Banks out of the room.

"DDA concludes a trier of fact would not find the physical escort out of the room was justified to prevent the imminent violence threatened by Banks."

Crowe avoids assault charges (Joel Ryan/AP/PA)

The district attorney's office also concluded it would "inappropriate" to hold Crowe criminally accountable for allegedly spitting on Banks' hand because "it was incidental to preventing more serious threatened violence."

"A witness at the door states the saliva did not make contact with Banks," it added.